A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Cf. 1942 G. CIANO Diary 9 Sept. (1946) II. 196 La vittoria trova cento padri, e nessuno vuole riconoscere l’insuccesso. Victory ...

1639 J. CLARKE Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 72 Sue a begger and get a louse. 1659 J. HOWELL Proverbs (English) 2 Goe to Law with a ...

The SUN loses nothing by shining into a puddle Cf. DIOGENES LAERTIUS VI. lxiii. the sun shines into dung but is not tainted (att ...

Legends 1st Ser. 270 Who suppes with the Deville sholde have a longe spoone! 1979 ‘E. ANTHONY’ Grave of Truth viii. Hindenburg a ...

Quot. 1721 explains the meaning. 1659 J. HOWELL Proverbs (English) 13 To swallow an Ox, and be choaked with the tail. 1721 J. KE ...

doorstep the city would soon be clean.’ 2002 Washington Times 14 Aug. B5 You’re right —and if everyone swept his own doorstep, t ...

1578 LYLY Euphues I. 197 As the best wine doth make the sharpest vinaigar, so the deepest loue tourneth to the deadliest hate. 1 ...

T table see where MACGREGOR sits is the head of the table. tail see every HERRING must hang by its own gill; the HIGHER the monk ...

A TALE never loses in the telling Also used in the phrase to lose (or grow) in the telling, often implying exaggeration. 1541 Sc ...

Footprints i. Talk’s cheap. You could never make me believe that. 2002 Washington Times 16 Mar. F15 (Herb & Jamaal comic str ...

1940 ‘J. J. CONNINGTON’ Four Defences xii. Tastes differ. One has to admit it. 1974 ‘M. INNES’ Appleby’s Other Story xi. She see ...

teacher see EXPERIENCE is the best teacher. teeth see the GODS send nuts to those who have no teeth. TELL the truth and shame th ...

thick see YORKSHIRE born and Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm and weak in the head. thicker see BLOOD is thicker than water. Se ...

If a THING’S worth doing, it’s worth doing well Job is sometimes used instead of thing. 1746 CHESTERFIELD Letter 9 Oct. (1932) I ...

1557 R. EDGEWORTH Sermons B6 Thinke well and thou shalt speak wel. 1623 W. PAINTER Chaucer New Painted B1V Thinke twise, then sp ...

once’. 1996 Bookseller 19 Jan. 27 As they say in carpentry—think twice; cut once! caution think see also EVIL to him who evil th ...

THOUGHT is free c 1390 GOWER Confessio Amantis V. 4485 I have herd seid that thoght is fre. 1601 SHAKESPEARE Twelfth Night I. ii ...

keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ 2007 Times 14 Aug. 9 With their motto of ‘Three can keep a secret if two are dead’, ini ...

Cf. CICERO Paradox 49 non intellegunt homines quam magnum vectigal sit parsimonia, men do not realize how great a revenue thrift ...

Warnung.. das sie.. nicht das Kindt mit dem Badt ausschütten, this is a caution.. lest you throw out the baby with the bath. 185 ...